SOCIETIES. 199 



hibited Xylocopa flavo-rufa and a species of Anthia taken by a friend 

 near to Bloemfontein. — Mr. G. W. Wynn, a small series of Lithosia 

 caniola, taken at sugar near Toreross, South Devon ; and also two 

 Agrotis obelisca from the same place, taken in August last year ; also 

 Euchloris {Phorodesma) pustidata [bajularia) from Knowle, and Melitma 

 aurinia, taken by himself at Sutton Park in 1884, and probably the 

 last specimen of the species taken so near to Birmingham. Mr. 

 Fountain said that the last-named species was taken much more 

 recently at Knowle, whicla, however, is not quite so near to Birming- 

 ham as Sutton. Mr. Fountain showed a series of Biston stiataria 

 [prodromaria) reared from a pair taken in cop. at Chelmsley Wood last 

 year ; he found that the best way to rear them without cripples was 

 to cover them with moss and keep it wringing wet ; on former occa- 

 sions, when rearing the species, he had always had a large proportion 

 of cripples. Mr. Bethune-Baker expressed surprise at this, as he 

 reared a large brood once, and had no trouble with cripples ; but 

 Messrs. Wynn and Waiuwright said that in their experience cripples 

 were very frequent, not only in breeding-cages, but also in a state of 

 nature. They found more crippled than perfect, even in the woods. 

 Mr. Fountain also showed Tmiiocampa gracilis, bred from Earlswood 

 larvEe. — Mr. G. T. Bethune-Baker exhibited a boxful of African 

 LycsenidsB, conspicuous by the absence of the normal blue colours ; 

 they were all from Sierra Leone, and included Liptena acrica. which 

 resembled an Acrcea. — Colbran J. Wainweight, Hon. Sec. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — Ajnil 20th, 

 1903. — Mr. Richard Wilding in the chair. — The Secretary announced 

 the following donations to the Library : — ' The Flora of the Liverpool 

 District' (with eight hundred drawings of the plants by Miss E. M. Wood, 

 and twenty-one photographs of the neighbourhood by Dr. J. W. Ellis, 

 F.E.S.) edited by Dr. C. Theodore Green, F.L.S., presented by Dr. Ellis; 

 and ' Noteson theLarge Copper (Chn/sophannsdispai),' by J. R. Charnley, 

 F.Z.S., F.E.S., from the author. Mr. WiUiam Webster, M.R.S.A.I., 

 Vice-President, communicated a valuable paper on " Entomological 

 Antiquities and Folklore of Insects," in which he dealt in an interesting 

 and exhaustive manner with a large number of the quaint sayings 

 and superstitions that have from time immemorial been associated 

 with many of our better known hexapods. The period covered 

 extended from the earliest times to the present day, and was conve- 

 niently considered under headings of the various orders of insects as 

 at present constituted. A hearty vote of thanks having been accorded 

 the lecturer, the following exhibits were shown : — A specimen of the ex- 

 ceedingly rare lepidopteron Leucania JJavicolor, with L. pallens and L, 

 straminea, by Mr. F. N. Pierce ; Hydrophilus piceus from Wicken Fen, 

 October, 1902, by Mr. F. Birch ; Attacus cynthia, A. atlas, A. promethea, 

 &c., reared from foreign pups, by Mr. J. J. Richardson ; Periplaneta 

 americana from Manchester, February, 1903, by the Secretary, on 

 behalf of Mr. Ben. Jones ; British Coleoptera, including Harpalus 

 neglectus, Bembidium clarki, Ammcecius brevis, &e,, from Birkdale ; Apho- 

 dius sordidus (Blackpool) and Bembidium argenteolum (Lough Neagh), 

 by Mr. R. Wilding ; and a collection of British Dermaptera by Mr. E. 

 J. B. Sopp. — E. J. Burgess Sopp, Hon, Secretary. 



